"Entrepreneurship could reduce unemployment at home."Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesian finance minister Agus Martowardojo said he was confident Indonesia could withstand the impact of the current economic crisis in Europe.
"Its experience in dealing with the global economic crisis in 2008, 2009 and 2011 was an invaluable lesson for Indonesia. When the crisis hit Europe last year, our economy could still grow 6.5 percent, while Europe, India and China remained pressured," he said at a national seminar on improving entrepreneurial ecosystems for sustainable business competitiveness here on Saturday.
The minister added that the key to the country`s economic success was the role of businessmen and domestic economic stakeholders.
"It is not only that. Another factor is investment, which continued growing until now," he said.
Agus added that in the future, the government had to think of developing food and agricultural industries so the country could better stand against overseas economic upheavals.
"The rice surplus of 10 million tons in 2014 will not, as yet, be enough to make Indonesia self-sufficient in food," he said.
The minister also emphasized the importance of encouraging entrepreneurship in the midst of the current crisis.
"Entrepreneurship could reduce unemployment at home and make the economy advance," he said.
He noted that entrepreneurs are persons who always seek opportunity and who are able to compete and be innovative. "Being entrepreneurs is not easy, as each person has their own character, which is different from others. Entrepreneurs must be able to manage resources and process raw materials to become `gold`," he said.
In view of that, the minister appealed to universities in the country to include entrepreneurship in their curriculum so poverty and unemployment could be continuously reduced.
(T.R027/H-YH/INE/KR-BSR)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
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